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If you have a desire to work in a leadership capacity within the hospitality industry, a Masters in Hospitality Management Program may prepare you for a variety of potential careers in this broad field. Hospitality Management encompasses many different industries and businesses, and the growing trend is to favor candidates with formal and relevant education. For upper level management positions, extensive job training and work experience are often required. These are only a few of the factors that might motivate you to pursue a Hospitality Management Masters Degree!

Admissions standards vary among Masters in Hospitality programs, degree levels and schools. However, all those interested in earning a master's degree must have a bachelor's degree while applicants seeking a doctoral degree must possess a master's degree in hospitality or in a related field of study. While some schools prefer that your undergrad degree be in hospitality management or business, others do not have this specification. Most schools look for experience in the field of hospitality management and certain preparatory coursework. As such, applicants from a non-business background should check programs of interest for specific requirements to see what particular prerequisites may be needed. Prerequisites may include courses in areas such as business, economics, accounting, and statistics.

Schools often require prospective masters students to submit resumes and, in some cases, documentation of any managerial experience they have in the industry. Recommendation letters, graduate test scores and personal statements might be required as well. Many programs also include an internship and thesis. Some schools, however, offer a non-thesis option.

Students may want to verify whether the program they are selecting is accredited with the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality

Administration.

What is Hospitality Management?

Masters in Hospitality Management involves taking on a position of responsibility in the hospitality industry, which includes various types of businesses, such as hotels, spas, restaurants, casinos, resorts, tour agencies and airlines. A masters in hospitality management prepares students to assume a managerial role and provide leadership skills in settings such as:

Hotels

Food and beverage industry

Travel and tourism

Entertainment and sport venues

Resort and spa services

Casinos

What is Hotel Management?

Masters in Hospitality Management programs typically include instruction in hotel administration, accounting, marketing and sales, housekeeping, food service management and catering, and hotel maintenance and engineering. System’s training is also an integral part of many hotel management degree programs, since hotels use hospitality-specific software for reservations, billing, and housekeeping management.

How to Choose a Hospitality Masters Degree Program

GradSchools.com has easy to use search tools to help you review Masters In Hospitality programs and find the one that aligns with your interests. If you are looking for a campus program, choose to start out with a location search to determine which city, state or country has a program you might gravitate to.

You can also search by program format. Busy working professionals who are returning to University to improve their credentials might want to look into a hybrid program which combines campus and online study into one flexible and low residency format. Others might find that a master’s in hospitality or hotel management online program might be a more convenient format.

Hospitality management is often classified as its own field, but is sometimes classified as a division of business management studies, so you may find masters of business administration with concentrations in hospitality as well as specific Hospitality Masters degree programs.

Some of the listings might include a Master of Tourism Management (MTM), Master of Science in Entertainment Business, MBA in International Business Hospitality and Services Industries Management or Master of Science in Hospitality Management Studies.

FUN FACT: Lodging managers held about 48,400 jobs in 2014. More than half were employed in the traveler accommodation industry, which includes hotels and motels.[i]

Hospitality Management Potential Curriculum

A master's degree program in hotel management provides students with the skills and technical knowledge on how operate hotels, manage finances and provide creative marketing for the hospitality industry. As with any business, hospitality has a growing need for innovative leaders who can guide the industry forward. Some of the courses that students may take might include:

Brand Management & Guest Experience

Business models

Marketing Decision Analysis

Development & Asset Management

Global & Regional Standards

Sales and PR

Information technology

Industry operations

Statistics and research to best understand the industry

Specialization in Hospitality Management Masters Degrees

Students who choose to specialize in one specific area will find a number of courses that focus just on their specialization. Possible areas of concentration may include the following:

Hotel Management

Restaurant Management

Casino Management

Food and Beverage Management

Lodging Management

Tourism Management

Important Qualities of Mangers in the Hospitality Industry

If you aspire to work in the hospitality industry, you may be in for a full-time, on-call and stressful type of job. So, if you handle responsibility well and can keep calm amidst the storm, consider whether you also have a few important skills such as:

Business skills to motivate and manage a team

Customer-service skills to maintain client loyalty

Interpersonal skills to be able to interact with staff, clients and service providers

Potential Careers in Hospitality Management

With a Masters degree in hospitality management, graduates may be ready to start their own businesses or take on a managerial role within existing hospitality corporations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is expected growth in tourism and travel translates to an 8% anticipated growth rate between 2014 and 2024 for Lodging Managers[ii]. This compares to a 6% growth in employment for Top Executives within the same time frame[iii].

Other career paths within hospitality management might also include:

Human Resources Managers

Property Managers

Food Services Managers

Advertising, Promotions and Marketing Managers

Ready to Pursue a Masters in Hospitality Management?

If you are drawn to a career in management and are passionate about the hospitality industry, earning a Masters degree in a specialized field such as hotel management may be what sets you apart from the competition, especially if you hope to work in an upscale establishment. Start reviewing the masters programs on GradSchools.com to find the one that aligns with your interests and goals!

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